Andy Warhol's "Double Elvis" propped up by non-unionized art handlers. The work sold for $37 million at Sotheby's on Wednesday night.

At Sotheby's annual meeting, shareholders passed all but one proposal—a Teamsters-backed plan opposing “golden parachutes” for departing executives. That proposal might normally have passed, but an albatross lingered in the meeting room: the five shareholders forced into unemployment by Sotheby's. Those five shareholders belong to the Teamsters Local 814, the art handlers' union that has been locked out of negotiations with the auction house for over nine months.

Had there been a change of control at the end of 2010, Chief Executive Officer William Ruprecht—whose compensation last year was valued at $7 million—would have been eligible for $18 million in severance and benefits.

Despite the proposal's outside endorsement and sound financial advice, the plan was rejected. While it failed to garner majority support at the meeting, the proposal did receive positive endorsement from 39% of shareholders. It appears that the art handlers, by challenging Sotheby's corporate policies, were able to demonstrate support from within the auction house.

Throughout the meeting, the art handlers continued to express their opposition to the Sotheby's lockout. Thomas McAllister, one of the five art handlers in attendance, pressed on the contrast between the auction house's soaring profits and the art handlers' forced unemployment.

AFC continues to support the art handlers during their lockout. If you haven't done so already, sign our petition written on behalf of the workers. Sotheby's has forced their art handlers out of work, and are currently filling those positions with a rotating series of temporary workers.

Why does it matter that the union workers are out of a job? If they get their jobs back, then the “temp workers” are out of a job. Are the temps bad people just for filling the shoes of the union workers? no. They both should have jobs. How about the union workers just get off their lazy asses and go get new ones.